


Cargo

by bitterandsweet



Category: Killjoys (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Fun, Gen, Male-Female Friendship, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-18
Updated: 2016-07-26
Packaged: 2018-07-25 07:28:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7523860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bitterandsweet/pseuds/bitterandsweet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Johnny and Dutch get into an argument, he takes a warrant on his own to blow off steam. It's supposed to be a simple level two salvage, but it leads him to the Badlands, where he finds things are much more complicated than he'd imagined.</p><p>He'll need Dutch's help, but she'll need to talk to him first...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I.

**Author's Note:**

> Part one of...? Written for the "Priceless" square of my [mini bingo card](http://thecarrieshow.dreamwidth.org/465.html).

Johnny slammed his way through the Leith Bazaar, trying to outpace his anger.

It didn’t work. He was still pissed at Dutch. Worse, he was pissed at himself for being pissed at Dutch. They never fought—at least over anything serious. Sure, they got into typical brother/sister-style spats sometimes, but they didn’t stay angry with each other for long.

But this was different, and he needed to get away for a while. Needed to vent some frustration. And the only thing better for frustration than hot, dirty sex was a good old-fashioned bounty.

He swept into the warrant broker’s place and all the way to the back without stopping, hoping to startle Bellus. As usual, it didn’t work. She stared at him, completely unsurprised.

“Oh, look,” she drawled. “If it isn’t Dutch’s softhearted sidekick.”

“Maybe Dutch is my sidekick.”

She gave him a _look_.

“Well, I’m not softhearted,” he grumbled.

“Sure you’re not. What do you need?”

“A warrant. Something sexy. Or violent. Or sexy and violent.”

Bellus snorted. “There’s a level two warrant I can give you.”

“Oh yeah? What’s the job?”

“First, you tell me where Dutch is and why you’re here by yourself. Then maybe I’ll give you the warrant.”

Johnny grumbled some more. Did everything need to be complicated? He just wanted to bash some heads in, for trees’ sake.

“She has business in Old Town with Pree,” he finally said. “Now can I have my warrant?”

She gave him a sharp, sarcastic nod. “Should be an easy job. Recovery of an item in the Badlands.”

Johnny checked at the screen of his personal digital device as the information came through. “What’s the item?”

“Don’t know, not concerned. It’s in a black case. Get the case. That’s the job.”

“Is it dangerous?” he asked hopefully. A simple smash-and-grab—or grab-and-run—was not exactly what he’d had in mind.

“No,” Bellus said. “But it’s all I’m offering. Take it or leave it.”

“I’ll take it.” Better than nothing, he guessed.

Without another word, he turned to leave. Before he got through the door, Bellus called out, “Johnny?”

He glanced behind him.

“Tell Dutch you’re sorry. Eat a little crow.”

“Who said I did anything wrong?” For that matter… “Who said we’re fighting?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Apologize. Grovel a little and move on.”

“Thanks for the tip.” He gave her a mock salute and hustled out before she could give him any more unsolicited advice.


	2. II.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny goes after his level 2 warrant, determined to prove he doesn't need Dutch. But come on. We all know that's not true!

“It had to be the Badlands,” Johnny muttered as sand blasted into his face. “Of all the hellholes in all the Quad, it had to be this one.”

At least he didn’t have much farther to go. He’d scouted the area earlier and watched from a distance to get an idea of what he was about to walk—or sneak, in this case—into. Some kind of warehouse had been erected in the middle of nowhere. He’d counted eight ships docked nearby. As far as Johnny could tell, they were using the warehouse as a place to store shit.

And if they had to come this far into the Badlands to do business, whatever they were storing couldn’t be good.

But that wasn’t his concern. The warrant was all, and this was a simple salvage mission. In and out. Grab and run. Nothing else there concerned him.

He would not, under any circumstances, poke his nose into other people’s business.

Nope. Not at all.

“Eyes on the prize, Jaqobis,” he told himself. “Eyes on the prize.”

It hadn’t taken him long to discover a blind spot—a place where he could creep up to the side of the building without being in any of the ships’ lines of sight. He eased his way there, treading carefully, or as carefully as he could with sand stinging his eyes and blowing into his mouth.

 _Damn it, Dutch_ , he thought. If they hadn’t argued, she’d be there too. Or he’d be back on Lucy with a cold drink in his hand.

And yeah, okay. He was man enough to admit it would have been far more fun with her by his side. Also, she would have been smart enough to bring eye protection.

Maybe Bellus was right. Maybe he should have just said he was sorry—which he _wasn’t_ —and ended their emotional standoff…

Nah. He could do this by himself—he was no one’s sidekick. It was a simple level two warrant. What could possibly go wrong?

Oh, hells…why had he thought that? Now things were _sure_ to go to shit.

He shook his head at himself and slipped into the structure. As far as he could tell, everyone had returned to their ships and wouldn’t be back until nightfall. His way should be clear.

Inside, one main room dominated the space. A raised platform filled the back, with rows of chairs facing it.

Huh. An auction house? But what were they auctioning way out here?

 _Not your business, Jaqobis_ , he reminded himself.

Two hallways branched off from the main room, one stubby with a single door to what was probably a bathroom, based on the smells wafting from it. What in hells were they eating out here to produce that kind of stench? The other hall was long, with a bend at the end and numerous doors, each marked with a ship designation.

Johnny double-checked his PDD for the info. The black box—and whatever it contained—had last been seen on one of the ships outside, and sure enough, as he made his way down the hallway, checking doors as he went, he found one mark that matched.

He grinned at the simple biometric lock on the door. “Amateurs.”

He’d be through it in no time.

After attaching some sweet lock-breaking tech he’d put together while bored one day, he checked his PPD again. Verifying his warrant’s info, of course. Not checking to see if Dutch had sent him a message or anything. Not at all.

And it didn’t bother him to see that she hadn’t, either. Nope. Not him.

His tech beeped and the lock ka-thunked as it opened.

“Showtime.”

The room was filled with empty shelves and a single table, on which set a two-by-two black case.

Johnny checked for any alarms or traps. Finding none, he grabbed the case, left the room and locked the door back behind him. Easy-peasy. Why had they even bothered sending a RAC agent? A child could have handled this warrant.

He was striding back toward his exit when a distinct thump stopped him. It had come from behind him.

Then another thump, and what sounded like…an animal whining?

What in hells _were_ they auctioning here?

No harm in taking a closer look, right? Right.

He turned around and followed the sounds. They took him past the bend in the hallway and led him to the very last door in the building. This lock was much more complex—though not good enough to keep him out.

The sounds had stopped, so Johnny hooked up his lock-breaker and pressed his ear to the wall, trying to guess what might be in there. Some kind of exotic animal?

This time, it took longer for the lock to clack open, but clack open it did. Johnny rubbed his hands together, unaccountably excited about what he’d find.

He pushed open the door…

“Holy shi—” Staring, dumbfounded, he activated his comm. “Lucy? I think we’ve got a problem.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: we find out what Dutch has been up to AND learn what freaked out Johnny at the warehouse. :)


End file.
